Salvia plant named ‘FLOSALG03’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘Flosalg03’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and purple violet-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Salvia greggii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Flosalg03’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia,botanically known as Salvia greggii and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Flosalg03’.

The new Salvia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Gauteng, South Africa. The objective of the program isto create and develop new compact Salvia cultivars with a long andfreely flowering habit.

The new Salvia originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor inJanuary, 2000 of a proprietary selection of Salvia greggii identified ascode number SG7287, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Salvia greggii identified as code numberSG7894, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Salvia wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Gauteng, South Africa in October, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings inGauteng, South Africa since April, 2001, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Salvia are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Flosalg03 have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Flosalg03’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Flosalg03’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Purple violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia are taller than plants of the female        parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Salvia are not as freely branching as        plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Salvia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of the male parent selectionin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia are shorter than plants of the male        parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Salvia are more freely branching than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Salvia and the male parent selection differ        in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have dark        blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the cultivarNavaho Deep Purple, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conductedby the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Salvia differedfrom plants of the cultivar Navaho Deep Purple in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia were more compact than plants of the        cultivar Navaho Deep Purple.    -   2. Plants of the new Salvia were more freely branching than        plants of the cultivar Navaho Deep Purple.    -   3. Plants of the new Salvia flowered for a longer period of time        than plants of the cultivar Navaho Deep Purple.    -   4. Plants of the new Salvia and the cultivar Navaho Deep Purple        differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Navaho Deep        Purple had dark purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Salvia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Flosalg03’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflower of ‘Flosalg03’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photographs and following description were grown underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditionsduring the winter and spring in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse inLompoc, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesranged from 21° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to18° C. and light levels ranged from 4,000 to 8,000 foot-candles. Plantswere pinched one time about four weeks after planting. Plants used forthe photographs and description were about 18 weeks old.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia greggii cultivar Flosalg03.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Salvia            greggii identified as code number SG7287, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Salvia            greggii identified as code number SG7894, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 12 to 15 days at 22°            C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 12 to 18 days at 22°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 to 40            days at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 to 45            days at 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Herbaceous perennial subshrub. Upright plant form;            narrow inverted triangle. Freely branching habit with about            six main stems; pinching enhances branch development;            vigorous growth habit. Flowers arranged in verticillasters            on spikes.        -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 25 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter:            About 2 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Young            stems with minute pubescence; mature stems, woody and            glabrous. Color, young stems: Close to 147B. Color, mature            stems: Close to 200D.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.'Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate to obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 144A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            close to 147B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 147B.        -   Petiole length.—About 7 mm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 1 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 147C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single bilabiate flowers            arranged in verticillasters on spikes; flowers face mostly            outwardly. Freely flowering habit, about 39 flowers per            inflorescence.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from spring            through summer to central California.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four to five days;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 83B.        -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 9 cm. Diameter: About 4.3            cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 1.6 cm by 1.9 cm. Depth (height):            About 2.3 cm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five; upper two fused in an upper            banner lip and lower three fused in a lower protruding lip;            all five fused at the base. Shape, upper lip: Elongate with            acute apex and entire margin. Shape, lower lip: Rounded with            rounded apex and entire margin. Length, upper lip: About            1.2 cm. Length, lower lip: About 1.5 cm. Width, upper lip:            About 3 mm. Width, lower lip: About 1.6 cm. Texture, upper            lip, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Texture, lower            lip, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower lips: When opening, upper surface: Brighter            than 77A. When opening, lower surface: More grey than 77A.            Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 80B. Fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 82B to 82C. Throat: Close to 69B.            Tube: Close to between 82B to 82C and 77A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Three fused into a tube. Shape:            Elliptic with acute apex and entire margin. Length: About            6 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Texture, inner surface: Smooth,            glabrous. Texture, outer surface: Pubescent. Color, when            opening and fully opened, inner surface: Close to 147C.            Color, when opening and fully opened, outer surface: Close            to 79B.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter:            About 1.5 mm. Aspect: Erect. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Close to 146B.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 4 mm. Diameter:            About 1 mm. Aspect: About 30° to 45° from peduncle axis.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.            Anther shape: Oval, elongated. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to 164B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 13A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 2.9 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma            color: Close to 77A. Style length: About 2.4 cm. Style            color: Close to 76B. Ovary color: Close to 145D. Seed/fruit:            Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Salvia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Salvia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Salvia have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate    temperatures from about 4° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Salvia plant named ‘Flosalg03’ as illustrated anddescribed.